'Schouten debated impotence'

Despite the fact that Minister Carola Schouten (Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality) did not offer any extra room for this pinched in dairy farming, she received much praise for her involvement. Her attitude and actions were praised by politicians and the sector. however, if not by the action group 'SOS Bio-farmers'. The co-initiator Sybrand Bouma is an organic dairy farmer in Grou and was present in The Hague to take action and attended the debate in the evening. Bouma is very disappointed in Schouten.

"Schouten was supposed to join our action, but canceled at the last minute. She did not want to associate herself with the funeral procession. That was already disappointing. When we spoke to her later with a small delegation, her attitude was distant. In the sense that She clearly showed that she had absolutely no room for us as a separate group."

Minister hurts organic farmers
According to Bouma, this attitude continued throughout the debate. "We talked all evening about the impossibilities that exist to create space. Then the minister is praised for her efforts, but is that really making an effort if you reject all options? In our opinion, it is mainly political unwillingness."

Schouten noted that the organic sector is partly responsible for the phosphate surplus. "She really hit us with that, because that's not right," says Bouma. "If she means that some organic dairy farmers have also started keeping more cows, then she has not read our arguments. Growth in dairy cows at organic dairy farms always takes place within the organic framework."

Bouma reiterates that there are sufficient opportunities to spare the approximately 450 organic dairy farmers as a group and does not give up hope. "We are still waiting for answers from the minister. We also pointed this out to her on Wednesday. We are receiving support from politics and even Frits Bolkenstein joined our demonstration. The support of 1 politician from the VVD house, where we otherwise have little expected, strengthens us to continue the fight."

LTO follows the minister's line
When entering the debate, Wil Meulenbroeks still had a glimmer of hope for a surprise, but in fact the LTO dairy farm foreman already knew that the outcome would correspond to the letter of May 16. Schouten made it clear that there is no extra room to accommodate more bottlenecks. "You are dealing with a European Commission that is quick to talk about state aid."

"What was and is important for us as LTO is to get and stay below the phosphate ceiling," Meulenbroeks continues. "We have no choice but to follow the figures that the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality provides us. I am referring, for example, to the CBS forecast for phosphate production in 2018. This shows that there is little room."

Looking at individual problems
Meulenbroeks says that LTO Netherlands no longer looks at helping groups of farmers. Also because imposing a generic discount again on the group that had already received a discount of 8,3% is seen as unrealistic and very undesirable. "Then in 2 months the minister will be in a new debate with another group of problems." Meulenbroeks hopes that there may still be room individually for companies that are in trouble. "We are looking at this together with the ministry. I really don't know what will or will not roll out there, but we will take that attempt seriously."

He does not see gaining extra space from the track or adjusting the forfeits as promising. "Nevedi, the trade association for the compound feed industry, clearly states that the limits have been reached. Perhaps not on an individual level, but on a sectoral basis." Adjusting the fixed rates, whereby the excretion per cow is adjusted downwards, actually has a negative effect on the profit to be achieved from the feed track, says Meulenbroeks. "You have to be careful that you don't go in completely the wrong direction."